


Fifth Year

by Thefanfictor



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A lot of them - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arguing, BAMF Ginny Weasley, Balcony Scene, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Male Character, Bittersweet Ending, Chocolate, Confessions, Conversations, Dating, F/F, F/M, Femslash, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Games, Hogwarts Fifth Year, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, I Ship It, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Tagging, Insomnia, Late Night Conversations, Letters, Literally everything I write is fluff, Love, M/M, Magic, Mistletoe, Nightmares, Owls, POV Ginny Weasley, Painting, Quidditch, Relationship Advice, Romance, School, Singing, Slow Dancing, Stars, Summer, Time Skips, Wands, because why not, duh - Freeform, i suck at angst, references, relationships, sort of, to a lot of things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2018-10-27 22:02:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 12,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10817628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thefanfictor/pseuds/Thefanfictor
Summary: The world needs more F/F ships, especially Harry Potter, because Harry Potter is rather lacking in the diversity department.  So I present to you this lovely piece of writing.  Alternate Hogwarts fifth year (for Ginny and Luna, for the golden trio it would be sixth year), I guess? Enjoy, y'all.I do not own the Harry Potter series, although I wish I did, that would be awesome.





	1. Letters

**Author's Note:**

> As you can probably tell, this was written by an American who has no idea how to British. Forgive me.

The first letter had been Ginny's idea.  Just a whim really.  She was trapped in a house with only her brothers, her parents, and a girl she loathed for company and she was bored and lonely.  Lonely enough to act on a whim.

So she pestered Ron into letting her use Pigwidgeon (no, it was not a stupid name, she insisted), dashed off a quick letter that said how are you doing but fancier, and addressed it to the first Order member she could think of off the top of her head: Luna.  She mailed it without a second thought, not really expecting a reply.

A response came the next day.  It was written with a strange glowing silver ink, in a neat but loopy hand that seemed to fit right in with the author's trademark oddity.  She had responded enthusiastically, exclaiming that she was glad to receive the letter, as people rarely wrote to her.  Never, actually.

Now this Ginny could understand.  She had friends, of course, but most of them were leading their own happy, carefree lives during the summer and didn't take time to write more than once a month or so.  She penned the reply the moment she finished reading.

One week later, she was writing a letter nightly.  Besides it being a way to keep in touch with a friend, it kept Ginny away from herself, forcing the darkness out.  Luna's replies always brought a smile to her face.  

During their long correspondence, Ginny began to see that Luna, for all the grief people gave her, was quite possibly the best friend she had ever had: quirky, entertaining, honest, earnest, and cheerful.  She was dreamy, absentminded, and tended to take everything seriously too, but these qualities simply served to make her more endearing.  She was, for all her abnormalities, a lovely person.

Ron joked that she had found a new boyfriend already, which she definitely had not (ditching Dean Thomas had been relatively easy, as he and Seamus were so in love she genuinely felt she was intruding whenever she was in their combined presence).  She was just staying up entirely too late to write to a girl who she genuinely liked and enjoyed hearing from. Nothing wrong with that.  

Then the house started filling up.  Hermione arrived in the tail end of the summer.  She was good to talk to about Luna, smiling over her letters the same way Ginny did, although sometimes her smiles were accompanied by a knowing look that Ginny didn't much like.

But of course with Harry's arrival, the house was busier than ever before.  Her mother fussed over him and the end of summer meant back-to-school shopping and all the worries that came with it.  There was just enough time to steal Pigwidgeon and scribble a quick note explaining that she wouldn't be writing as often now.  Luna said she understood.  "Daddy's working on an important new issue of The Quibbler and I'm going to be helping a lot," the letter said.  "I won't have a lot of time to write either." 

Ginny was glad for the positive response, but a part of her felt the loss of the letters keenly.

School arrived, tainted with the sinister reminders of You-Know-Who's uprising (Ginny still wasn't quite used to calling him Voldemort, even if Harry did it all the time).  The grim Aurors, who were really only there for Harry's benefit, led them to the platform and Ginny, after enduring the perfunctory goodbye hugs, pulled her trunk aboard the train.  Ron and Hermione split from the group for prefect duty and she was just looking around for a somewhat empty compartment when-

"Hello, Ginny!" 

Ginny turned to see a girl whose voice she had never forgotten.  "Luna!"

And there she stood, holding a trunk and smiling.  "It's good to see you.  Would you like to grab a compartment together?"


	2. The Train

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catching up.

"It's good to see you, too, Luna," Ginny managed to choke out.  She was blushing.  Why was she blushing? "And sure, I would love to get a compartment."

"I'll go find something, then," Luna said, drifting away.

Ginny watched her go, then cursed herself for being awkward.  Luna would think her behavior strange, or-no, this was Luna.  She would probably attribute it to some odd creature floating around in the air.  Hopefully.

Hoisting her trunk, she blew kisses to her mother, tried not to sound too irritated at being fussed over, assured her that yes, she had everything necessary and no, she wouldn't need to write home for something when she arrived.

"Hey, Ginny!"

Harry was behind her, a small smile on his face.  "Want to get a compartment? Ron and Hermione have prefect duty and I thought, well . . ." he drifted off, looking at her hopefully.

"Sorry, Harry, I said I'd meet Luna," Ginny said.  She was sorry, but surely one of the numerous girls flocking around him would get up the courage to ask him to sit with her.  She could see them formulating strategies as they spoke and beat a hasty retreat.  As Ginny hurried down the hall, she thought of the crush she used to have on him, the Chosen One, and smiled inwardly.

"In here!" Came Luna's voice from an open compartment, making Ginny stop short.

"Luna! Finally, I've been looking all over." Ginny pulled the door shut behind her and sat down.

"New Quibbler edition," Luna said brightly, holding up the magazine.  "It's very engaging."

"Right," Ginny said, wishing she could think of something clever to say.

"It's very nice to see you again after all those letters," Luna said after an uncomfortable silence. 

"Yeah, same here," Ginny said.  She cast her mind about for a safer conversation topic.  "Um, how hard do you think OWLs will be?"

"I don't know," Luna said airily.  "The spells will be hard, especially since we won't be having DA anymore, but I brought a few good-luck charms, so I'm sure I'll be fine."

Ginny laughed.  Here was the Luna she had been missing.  

The rest of the train ride was uneventful.  Luna continued the new Quibbler, occasionally reading excerpts aloud that Ginny tried not to laugh at.  Neither had much money for food from the trolley, but Ginny gave her companion half a sandwich (no, she reassured Luna, it wasn't corned beef.  Honestly, she was as bad as Ron).

They grabbed a carriage together as well.  A few of Ginny's friends joined them, clearly unhappy to be sharing with Luna, who stopped talking as soon as they entered and spent most of this ride staring out the window with her hands over her ears.  Ginny, for some reason, wasn't too pleased to be with them, either.  Perhaps she would get used to their company over time.

After all, they were the ones who accompanied her to the dormitories after the Sorting and the feast, chattering about what lovely summers they'd had, and how was yours? What did you do? Must be exciting, sharing a house with the Chosen One.  

Ginny shrugged most of it off, not wanting to talk about the letters.  "Harry's alright," she said instead.  "He mostly hangs out with Ron and Hermione.  He's funny, I suppose."

There were a lot of "ooh"s over that, and a fair bit of giggling.  Collapsing in her bed, Ginny tried to think about Quidditch: not school, not Harry, and certainly not the odd, silver-blonde girl who invaded her thoughts whether she wanted her there or not.


	3. We Keep Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is slight plot and some sort of vague attempt at buildup.

Despite the letters sent back and forth, Ginny and Luna interacted little over the next few weeks.  Ginny made the Quidditch team, kept her grades up, and wrote home once a week.  She had no idea what Luna was up to, but trusted she was keeping busy as well.

Ginny had seen the blonde Ravenclaw a few times since they'd gotten back, often looking as though she had got there by accident.  They had a few double classes together, and she tried to say hello once or twice, but had given up when she realized she would have no idea what to say, aside from maybe some forced small talk on the weather.

However, in a surprising twist of fate, on an unusually sunny day in late November, Ginny received the opportunity to talk to her pen pal again, this time on Luna's terms.

It was after a particularly eventful Care of Magical Creatures lesson that Ginny went to lunch.  Putting down her plate when she had finished eating, she announced loudly that she wanted to go outside, as it was too nice of a day to waste by staying in.  The rest shrugged but didn't budge.  And so Ginny headed out alone.

She was looking around for a place to sit when she heard Luna's voice calling her name.

"Ginny! Is that you? If it is, come over here, now!"

Following the source of the voice, Ginny located the girl sitting under the shade of a tree by the lake.

"Hey, Luna," Ginny said, sitting down next to her.  "Erm-nice weather we're having, isn't it?"

"Shh," Luna said in response.  "You'll scare  him away." 

"What?"

Instead of answering, the other girl pointed at a spot a few feet past the shallows.  There sat the giant squid, eyes looking up at them questioningly, as if to say, "What are you humans doing here?"

"Beautiful, isn't he?" Luna said softly by her ear.

"Y-yeah, kinda." Ginny had certainly never considered him so before, but now that Luna said it, she could suddenly see all the very beautiful things about him she hadn't noticed until now.

"I wonder what it would be like to study him," Luna said, a bit dreamily.  "I'm sure he's very fascinating."

Ginny smiled at her.  "You'd be excellent at working with magical animals, you know."

"Really?" Luna turned, luminous eyes bright, though her expression hadn't changed.  Ginny got the feeling she didn't often get compliments.

"Yeah, the way you talk about them and things.  Are you going to continue with Care of Magical Creatures next year? You should." Ginny knew she was rambling, but wasn't entirely sure how to stop.

Fortunately, Luna took it in stride.  "Yes, I think I will if I can pass the OWL.  I like Hagrid more than I did last year."

This made Ginny laugh.  "That's good, Luna."

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade together?" Luna asked suddenly.  "I hear there's one coming up.  Do you want to go?"

"Oh-um-sure," Ginny stammered, a bit taken aback. "That sounds like a lot of fun.  Do you mind if we meet up with some of my friends? I think they'd mind if I didn't spend some time with them."

"I'd love to meet your friends, Ginny," Luna said sincerely.  "I'm sorry I wasn't very good to them on the carriage.  They were very loud.  So, it's a date, then?"

"Totally," Ginny said, ignoring the funny feeling in her stomach at the word "date".  "I guess I'll see you then?"

"I suppose you will.  We did just agree to go together." Luna looked back at the lake, making it clear that the conversation was over as Ginny hurried back to the Great Hall.

That night, she told her friends that, unfortunately, she would be meeting Dean at Hogsmeade and so could not join them.  She extended her sincerest apologies, but so it went.


	4. Hogsmeade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is confusion, winter fun, and a large block of fudge.

Nervousness was something that Ginny Weasley handled quite well.  She was used to Quidditch nerves after last year (she was certainly better than Ron), and performed well under pressure.  However, this was nothing compared to how she felt as she prepared for the Hogsmeade outing with Luna.

Harry had asked her about it a few days before: if she was going, if she wanted to hang out.  She told him what she had told the others; that she'd be with Dean and probably wouldn't have time.  Although as Dean and Seamus made their way through the line, hand in hand, she thought that there were some very obvious holes in her story.

"Hi, Ginny!"

Ginny winced involuntarily as Luna's voice carried through the hall.  Fortunately, few heads turned.  "Hey, Luna," she said at a lower volume.

"I'm very excited for today, aren't you?" The other girl said, smiling happily.

"Yeah, looking forward to it." Ginny smiled back.  She seemed to be doing a lot of smiling as of late, particularly in the presence of Luna.  Maybe it was the weather.

After a security examination by Filch that took entirely too long, the pair hurried out into the cold, where it soon became clear that it probably wasn't the weather.

"Let's get inside," Ginny said, Luna murmuring her agreement.  The wind and the snow stung their exposed skin, but the thick, sweet air of Honeyduke's was a welcome relief.

"Chocolate is the best thing in the world," Ginny said, examining price labels.

"Well, there's true love and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, too," Luna said reasonably.

Ginny selected a box of chocolate fudge and tucked it under her arm, mulling that over.  "True."

The box paid for and stowed safely in Ginny's coat, the two ventured out again.  The stinging snow was even harsher now.  "Three Broomsticks?" Ginny shouted over the wind.  Luna nodded vigorously.

Inside, the two seated themselves at a table in the back, ordering butterbeer for the both of them.  Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny spotted Ron, Harry, and Hermione across the bar, but decided not to mention it.  She didn't feel like explaining why she was not, in fact, out with Dean but instead with Luna.

Luba did most of the talking as they shared the fudge and drinks, which was odd, considering how she rarely opened her mouth in class and Ginny rarely shut up.  Then again, Luna didn't offer much in the way of opportunities for Ginny to involve herself in the conversation, and Ginny usually preferred it when someone else was talking anyway.

"I liked your suggestion about working with magical creatures after Hogwarts. It does sound very exciting.  And I'd even get to supply the Quibbler with some excellent material.  But what do you plan on doing?" Luna turned her gaze on her companion. 

Normally when people questioned Ginny about her future, it was an indication to begin evasive maneuvering or simply change the subject.  But when Luna did it, she felt strangely inclined to actually talk.

"Well, I'm thinking of maybe becoming a sports journalist, or going into the Department of Magical Sports and Games," she said.  "Of course, what I'd really like to do is be a professional Quidditch player, but there's not much future in that."

"Don't say that, Ginny," Luna said, putting a pale hand on her arm.  "I've seen you play.  You're very good at it, you know."

Ginny felt herself blush.  "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me.  It's true."

This only served to make the blush worse, but Luna seemed not to notice.  They continued their conversation, Luna chatting merrily and sipping their drinks, although there was now a curious fuzzy feeling in Ginny's stomach and she wasn't sure how to make it go away.

"Had fun?" Asked Demelza Robins as Ginny slipped into one of the chairs in the Gryffindor common room, offering her a mug of hot cocoa.

"Definitely."


	5. Words of Wisdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is slight confusion, pining, and sage advice from an unlikely source.

Since the Hogsmeade visit, Ginny and Luna had gotten much friendlier.  Now Luna showed up to watch the Gryffindor Quidditch practice and the two took a long walk around the grounds as Luna enthusiastically discussed her favorite parts.

It was becoming difficult to juggle Quidditch and homework, especially with teachers piling on extra work in preparation for the OWLs.  Even the rhythm of the team had been thrown off a bit because of Katie's post-Hogsmeade hospitalization, although Dean was an excellent substitute.  The first few practices were a little awkward, due to his and Ginny's past relationship, sure, but they got over it and were now as friendly as the rest of the team.

But after this particular practice, it was Ginny doing the talking.  Only instead of a cheerful chatter, it was more of an angry rant.  

"I honestly can't believe Ron, he's never played worse in his life!" She fumed, tossing her red hair irritably.  "At the rate he's going, instead of flattening Slytherin we'll be steamrollered by them instead! 

"Well, you don't need to let him know that," Luna said reasonably, quickening her pace to keep up.  "From what I can gather, all he needs is a little encouragement.  There's nothing wrong with his game, he's just nervous because of the match."

She was right, but Ginny didn't like to admit it, even if this was Luna talking.  "Well, if it is just nerves, he needs to get over it soon, otherwise we'll lose this game so badly we'll have no shot at the championship at all."

"I'm sure Harry will be able to handle it," Luna said.  "Well, I'll see you at the game, Ginny.  I've got that Transfiguration essay to write.  It's due two days from now, you remember." Dashing forward, Luna wrapped her arms around Ginny in a quick hug.  Before Ginny could fully process what was going on, she received a little kiss on the cheek before Luna hurried away.

Ginny watched her go, feeling blood rush to her face.  Faintly, she could smell Luna's perfume: a strange mix of sea air and exotic flowers.  "What was that?" She wondered aloud.

"That was interesting," a familiar voice said from behind her.

Turning, she saw Seamus Finnagin trying and failing to look casual as he leaned against a tree.  "What are you doing here?" It came out a little more accusatory than she meant it to.

"Waiting for Dean.  He always takes forever coming back from the locker room." He was smirking at her.

Ginny never liked being laughed at.  Her ears went hot, although she didn't know why.  "What are you smiling about?" She demanded.

"Nothing.  You two are just cute together," Seamus said, still with the infuriating smirk.

"What do you mean? You mean-you mean me and Luna? That's ridiculous!" Ginny sputtered, feeling as though her entire face was on fire.

"Whatever you say." Seamus shrugged, not looking entirely convinced.  "Don't be afraid to go after her, if that's what it is."

"It's nothing, Seamus," Ginny said firmly.  "I have to go."

"Well, see you later, Ginny.  Good luck with tomorrow," Seamus said, waving.

Ginny started to walk away, then stopped.  "Why are you even talking to me about this? Notthat I need your help," she said, folding her arms.

Seamus shrugged.  "Still owe you a favor for last year, don't I?"

Ginny took a few seconds to realize what he meant.  "That-that was nothing!" She said with a snort.  "Anyone could see you two liked each other."

"Exactly."

With that succinct statement, Seamus jogged down to meet Dean, leaving Ginny alone.

That night, she tossed and turned, unable to find sleep.  Trying to convince herself that the fluttery feeling in her stomach was just Quidditch nerves, she braced herself for the game.


	6. Game Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is suspense. Kinda.

Ginny woke up with a fresh sense of determination.  The Quidditch situation no longer seemed as hopeless.  So what if Ron was being even more useless than before? So what if Luna was being confusing and sending strange signals Ginny had no idea how to decipher? She was going to play better than she had ever played before and nothing was going to get in her way.

There was the obligatory booing from the Slytherins as the team entered the hall.  Ginny saw Harry talking to a pale-faced Ron in hushed tones, but elected to ignore them, still frustrated by the previous day's practice.  She was about to sit by Dean, but decided against it, as she saw Seamus sitting next to him and she was in no mood to talk to him again.

In the end, she seated herself beside Demelza, who was picking at a plate of bacon and eggs.  "How are you doing?" She asked, beginning to fill her own plate.

"Nervous," the other Chaser confessed.  "I feel like I'm going to throw up."

Ginny gave her a pat on the back.  "You're all right," she said in what she hoped was a comforting tone of voice.  "I'm sure you'll do brilliant."

Demelza continued to poke at her food.

Breakfast crept away, and before she knew it, Harry was signalling for them to hurry down to the changing room.  Ginny took a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves under control.  Ron still looked utterly terrified, but Ginny forced herself to ignore him.

"Good luck, Ginny!" 

Luna hurried forward, giving her a tight hug.  "I hope Gryffindor wins," she said with an earnest smile.  "Quite a few people have been placing bets, you know, but I just want to show support for the team.  I even brought my hat!" She pointed up to the enormous lion-shaped contraption, which sat slightly crooked on her brow.

This almost made Ginny laugh.  There was a tense pause.  The conversation felt like walking on broken glass: if Ginny made a wrong move, it would slice into them both.  She cleared her throat.  "I gotta go," she said, and dashed off, not daring to look back.

She caught up to the team in the lockers.  "Pretty lucky the weather's this good, eh?" Harry was saying to Ron.

"Yeah," he said absently.

Pulling on her Quidditch robes, Ginny turned to Demelza.  "Conditions look ideal, don't they?" She said, trying to distract her teammate.

"Oh, definitely!" Demelza said, perking up a bit.  "And two of Slytherin's best players are off, too-Vaisey and Malfoy! They've got Harper as a replacement, and he's an idiot."

Ginny delivered this news to Harry and Ron, both of whom looking slightly cheerier for it.  "My drink . . . my pumpkin juice . . ." she heard Ron saying as she walked away to fetch her broom.  She wondered briefly what that was about, but dismissed it as nothing important.

Ginny took to the air after the shrill blast of Madam Hooch's whistle.  Flying in formation with Dean and Demelza, she saw the Quaffle soar in her direction, an opposing Chaser speeding after it.  As she raced to intercept it, she heard the distinctive roar of Luna's hat.  The sound comforted her and somehow awakened her competitive drive, spurring her on to snatch the Quaffle out from under the Slytherin Chaser's nose and score.

The game went on, Gryffindor leading sixty to zero, Ginny putting the Quaffle through the hoop four times and Demelza and Dean scoring once apiece.  Ron had saved everything the Slytherin Chasers sent his way, and in this moment, Ginny felt rather proud to be related to him.  

Even Smith's horrible commentary couldn't dampen her spirits, although the sight of Luna smiling at her from the stands almost made her drop the Quaffle once.  She recovered it, but the odd feeling in her stomach had returned.

As she passed to Dean, Harry streaked past her, hot on Harper's heels.  They were neck and neck in pursuit of the tiny, fluttering Snitch and the rest of the players hung in the air, a hush falling over the crowd.  Ginny heard Harry yell something, but the words were lost in the wind.

And then, suddenly, it was over, Madam Hooch's shrill whistle blast, Harry clutching the Snitch in one hand, victorious.  The other Gryffindor players swarmed around him in a massive group hug.  Ginny made to join them, but then, seeing Zacharias' smug face, she felt a surge of determination.  The last thing she saw before crashing into the podium was Luna's bright, beaming smile.

Rejoining the team in the locker room, Ginny was immediately greeted by Dean.  "Seamus said there's a party in the common room!" He said, grinning.  "Also something about finding the girl and not letting her get away?" He shrugged, looking baffled.  Then his grin returned.  "Come on!"

Ginny stared after him, abashed.  What had Seamus implied? Go after Luna? No! They were just friends . . . weren't they?

As she contemplated, the team ushered her into Gryffindor tower.  Ginny wandered around aimlessly, bumping into Ron sucking face with Lavender Brown, and as she turned to escape, she ran into Harry instead.

"Looking for Ron?" She asked.  "He's over there." She jabbed a thumb in his direction.

Harry said something she couldn't quite hear over the blood pounding in her ears.  How could she get away from this mess? Where would she even go?

The answer sprang fully formed into her head.  Luna.  She had to find her.  What she would do when she did was not clear, but maybe when she saw her she'd know what to do.

She suddenly became aware of Harry staring at her oddly.  "I have to go," she said.  "Good game, Harry." She patted him on the arm a bit, though she wasn't sure why, then sprinted towards the portrait hole.

After several wrong turns, Ginny ended up at Ravenclaw tower, slightly out of breath, although the gymnastics routine her heart was performing had very little to do with the exercise.  Fingers trembling ever so slightly, she lifted her hand to knock.  


	7. Stargazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which bonding, plot, and fluff occurs. Not necessarily in that order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the description of the Ravenclaw common room straight from Deathly Hallows. The lengths to which I go to make this fic accurate are frankly embarrassing.

The door swung open from the inside almost immediately.  Luna stood behind it, beaming merrily.  "Hello, Ginny," she said.  "I had a feeling you'd be here. Come in!"

Dazed, Ginny followed her inside.  The common room was spacious and efficiently decorated, with a sky-blue ceiling and full bookshelves pressed up against the wall.  The floor was covered in a thick blue carpet with a starry pattern. Clusters of round wooden tables were arranged artfully around the edges of the room, each in view of a large, arched window looking out on the grounds.

"It's very pleasant, don't you think?" Luna's voice said next to her ear, making her jump a little.  "I like the atmosphere.  It's tranquil and good for learning."

 "Yeah, it's nice," Ginny said, and meant it.  She could almost feel her mind relaxing from the obnoxious clamor of the Gryffindor common.  The room smelled faintly of jasmine and fresh parchment, making her feel a little lightheaded.  

"I want to show you my favorite place here," Luna said, taking Ginny's hand in her cold one and pulling her towards a window.  Ginny stiffened involuntarily at the contact, then forced herself to relax.  It was nothing, she told herself.  Just girls being friends.

Opening up the window, Luna slipped outside, dragging Ginny along with her.  The latter tried to signal the former to slow down, but Luna seemed not to notice, seating herself on a little balcony overlooking the rest of the school.

"I like it out here," Luna said serenely.  "Something about the air helps me think.  I come out here when I can't sleep.  It happens a lot, you know, and sometimes it's the opposite and I feel like I can't get out of bed.  Here, I'm aware of everything and nothing gets loud or confusing.  People are loud and confusing.  Nothing they do makes sense."

Luna turned her gaze on Ginny, who felt vaguely uncomfortable.  "Am I being too strange?" She asked.  "Everyone says I am."

"No, of course not, Luna," Ginny said.  There was a pause.  "Well, I mean, you're a little strange, sure, but that's not a bad thing!" Ginny always talked with her hands when she was nervous, and the way she was waving them around, she was worried that she'd hit Luna by mistake.

"Thank you, Ginny," Luna said, smiling a little.  "I appreciate that."

Ginny cleared her throat.  "Don't mention it.  And I understand why you'd want to get away from all this.  It's kind of hard, having six older brothers."

Luna nodded.  "I can imagine it would be.  I don't have any brothers, but you don't seem to like yours all the time.  I'm sure you love them, though."

The sky was darkening rapidly and stars were appearing, scattered in the same patterns as the ones on the rug.  Or maybe it was the other way around? Ginny didn't know, she couldn't quite think straight.  Reality always seemed to be a little bit altered when she was with Luna.  The silence felt like it was pressing in around her.  She didn't like it.

"You said you have trouble sleeping," Ginny said after a while. "My mum knows a good cure for that."

"I don't think it can be cured," Luna said absentmindedly.  "It happens when my brain is too full of ideas.  It feels like they're all bouncing off each other inside my head and none of them make any sense and everything hurts.  Out here that doesn't happen."

"Maybe it's because you're in Ravenclaw," Ginny said, trying to lighten the mood a bit.  "Your house is making you too smart."

"I don't think that's what's happening," Luna said in a thoughtful tone of voice. "Houses don't work that way."

"I was joking," Ginny said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Were you? I'm sorry.  I'm bad at joking."

They sat in silence for a while, gazing at the constellations that speckled the sky like the freckles on Ginny's face.  Finally, Luna broke the quiet.  "Ginny, I like you a lot."

"I like you too," Ginny whispered.  She became very aware of the shrinking distance between them.  

"Thank you for sharing this with me," Luna said.  "And being nice.  People aren't usually nice."

Luna's sweet, subtle fragrance made Ginny dizzy.  Perhaps this was part of the reason why she made a decision to do something reckless.  And so as soon as the words left Luna's mouth, Ginny leaned in to cut her off, closing the gap to kiss her under the stars.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I lied about the mistletoe. Drop a kudos/comment if you liked it, they make my day!


	8. Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is shameless fluff to make up for the lack of mistletoe last chapter.

Over the next few weeks, Ginny and Luna were inseparable.  They held hands in the hallways so much that they didn't even need to tell people about their relationship; everyone they knew came up to congratulate them without any prompting.

Hermione, Neville, and Demelza were the first to confront them.  Hermione demanded to know why they hadn't told her immediately.  When Ginny pointed out, rather rationally, that it had only been a few days since their first kiss, she backed off a bit and said she was happy for them.  

Neville gave his sincere congratulations shortly after, smiling so earnestly that Ginny was forced to question why on earth this boy wasn't a Hufflepuff.  She had begun to thank him, but surprisingly, Luna beat her to it, practically glowing with happiness.

Demelza squealed with excitement, giving them both hugs and saying she had predicted it when Luna first started showing up to practices.  Ginny smiled at this, wondering how they could have been so easily read.  Luna had flinched a bit at the hug, as she wasn't much for unexpected physical contact, but relaxed and treated Demelza to one of her most radiant smiles.

Even Dean and Seamus gave their awkward congratulations.  Seamus was being a smug git, and Ginny sort of wanted to smack him, but she couldn't stay angry at anyone for too long nowadays.  Luna made her happy like no one else did.

The two attended Slughorn's Christmas party together, although they left an hour in to kiss in an abandoned corridor, Ginny running her fingers through Luna's silky blonde hair.  She loved her girlfriend's (girlfriend's!) hair, and made a point of letting her know it.

But with Christmas came the inevitable separation of Ginny and Luna.  They didn't have much time for each other at school, and now it would be even harder.  They said their goodbyes in front of the Gryffindor portrait hole.

"I'm really, really going to miss you," Ginny said, wincing a bit at how clingy she sounded, but deciding she didn't actually care.

"I'll miss you too, Ginny," Luna said with a smile, squeezing her in a hug.  "But of course you'll write.  And I'll write, and it'll only be a few days.

Ginny suddenly found it a whole lot easier to smile.  "Yeah, course I'll write," she said.  There was a pause, Ginny looking at the ceiling to avoid having to actually say goodbye.  "Look," she said softly, pointing.  "Mistletoe."

"Oh, let's keep away from that," Luna said anxiously.  "It's probably infested with Nargles."

"Come here," Ginny said, pulling her into another, considerably more pleasant, embrace.

She made good on her promise to write.  She wrote how she had taken charge of the Burrow's Christmas committee (Luna replied that it sounded like fun to have people over and it was a shame that she and her father couldn't, as they didn't have many people who they could invite).  She wrote about Percy's disastrous visit, which ended in Ginny losing her temper at his stubborn aloofness and not-so-subtle digs at their parents and throwing mashed parsnips in his face (Luna thought she shouldn't have been so rash, and Ginny was tempted to agree).

In the letter she sent on the night before Christmas, Ginny included a picture of the Weasley family (plus Harry) by the Christmas tree, all smiling and waving.  Luna sent one of her own, she and her father standing in a cluttered house beneath a tree bedecked in tinsel that matched Luna's eyes exactly.

And finally, there were the Christmas presents.  After explaining to her mother about Luna, Ginny sent Errol with a package containing a midnight blue sweater, and was a little worried about how well it would be received.  Luna's present, however, arrived a little late, on the back of a gray owl that looked like a larger version of Pigwidgeon, though the spectacular crash into the window the unfamiliar owl performed would have made Errol proud.

The parcel was small, and Ginny undid the twine with trepidation.  Inside was a golden bracelet with tiny charms hanging from little clasps.  A Quaffle, a broomstick, and a quill were some of them, and Ginny slipped it on, the cold metal making her, paradoxically, warmer as she thought about the girl who had given it to her.


	9. Back To School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which more plot happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys, sorry I haven't been very active. I've been REALLY sick lately, and I'm in the recovery phase. Hopefully you'll like this, although it's probably not my best work. Enjoy, y'all!

On the train ride back to Hogwarts, the first thing Ginny did was find Luna and give her the hug of a lifetime.  "I missed you," she murmured, squeezing her tightly.  She loosened her hold upon hearing her girlfriend's muffled yelp, muttering an apology.

"I missed you too," Luna said, eyes bright.  "But look, now we're back.  I told you it wouldn't be too bad!"

"You did," Ginny said.  Hesitated.  "Can I kiss you?"

Luna smiled, smoothing back her hair.  Instead of an an answer, the Ravenclaw leaned forward to peck her partner on the lips.

"That was . . . nice," Ginny said, a little breathless.

"Agreed."

They spent the ride in cheerful conversation, Ginny's fingers laced through Luna's like a set of golden rings.

School wore on, the teachers growing more and more demanding and handing out mountains of work every class.  There was also the added headache of Ron and Hermione coming to Ginny to vent about Apparition (Harry seemed to be avoiding her, although she had no idea why).  Ginny found herself visiting Luna's tower balcony more often to escape it all.  She had little opportunity to see her girlfriend outside of class otherwise, and it was a good place to just hang out.

"A lot of good energy out here," Luna said airily one day as Ginny commented about the increasing rate of these visits.  "You must be reacting to that."

"Or maybe it's just 'cause I like seeing you," Ginny replied with a lazy grin, sitting up to kiss her cheek.

Luna blushed faintly.  It was cute.  "Hard to imagine that."

"Well, we are dating.  And I enjoy your company," Ginny said, running her fingers absentmindedly through a section of Luna's hair.  Luna liked it when she did that, claiming that it helped her feel more relaxed.

"Thank you for saying that," Luna said.  She reached out and tucked a little pink flower behind Ginny's ear.  "Few people do."

"Well, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't like spending time with you?" Ginny said, giving her another kiss.

Luna looked pensive.  "You have a point."

"One of my many talents: winning arguments."

"It wasn't really an argument."

"Well, I can win those, too." 

"Maybe we should try to get some work done?" Luna suggested, after they were both considerably more disheveled.  She began stacking her papers neatly in front of her, setting up each pile in a straight line.

"Bo-ring," Ginny grumbled, pulling herself forward into what could be called a seated position.  It was still early morning, during the free period after breakfast, and Ginny would rather Luna continue putting flowers in her hair and talking about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, which Ginny found quite interesting.  And continue kissing her, although that kind of went without saying.

They attacked the pile, although their progress was minimal, as Ginny was in the mood to make stupid jokes about the people and principles they were supposed to be memorizing, and Luna was in the mood to carry them one step further, with discussion that might have been philosophical but probably wasn't.

Ginny would have liked to continue in this vein for a while, but the passage of time impeded her desires and they eventually had to head off to class.  However, along the way they were waylaid by a small boy who she thought was a Hufflepuff but had never spoken to.  "Ginny Weasley?" He asked, panting a bit.

She nodded.  "Yeah?"

"Madam Pomfrey told me to get you.  It's your brother."

"Ron? What about him?" An increasing amount of panic was building in her chest, but she forced it down.

"He's been-well, he's been poisoned."


	10. Poisoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which EVEN MORE PLOT HAPPENS. Are you proud of me?

Ginny almost didn't hear her schoolbag hit the floor.  Distantly, she made out the Hufflepuff boy's voice babbling incoherently, a bottle of ink shattering and its contents spreading across the stones.  All she could think about was Ron and how fast she could get to him. ~~~~

Luna's hand gripped her arm.  Ginny stared at her girlfriend, the other girl's face filled with concern, silver eyes wide.  Ginny saw the other girl's mouth open, preparing to say something to her.

Ginny yanked her arm away and sprinted for the stairs to the hospital wing, nearly tripping over her robe and feeling the spilled ink soak into her shoes.  Her heart pounded faster with every step,  _he's been poisoned_ echoing in her ears.  She reached the hospital wing door with adrenaline pumping, not the least bit out of breath.

"Where's Ron?!" She demanded ( _he's been poisoned he's been poisoned he's been poisoned_ ) as Madam Pomfrey tried to greet her.

"This way, dear," the nurse said.  Ginny heard her voice as though from underwater.  Her breaths grew shallower and she could barely prevent herself from sprinting the rest of the way.  She got tunnel vision the second she caught a glimpse of Ron's bed.

Harry was sitting by his bedside.  He looked up at her and smiled, but Ginny didn't want to exchange pleasantries.  "Is he alright?" Ginny said, voice an octave higher than normal ( _he's been poisoned he's been poisoned he's been poisoned_ ).

Harry took a moment to answer and Ginny resisted the urge to grab him by the shoulders and shake him vigorously.

"Y-yeah," he managed to stutter out.  "I gave him a bezoar, which seems like it did the trick.  He's got to spend a few weeks in the hospital wing, but he'll be okay."

Ginny flung her arms around him, squeezing him in a hug, heartbeat still going a million miles an hour.  Ginny wasn't the type of girl who would faint at the sight of blood, but at the moment she felt as though she would collapse from sheer relief.

The twins and their parents were summoned and they joined Ginny, Harry, and, later, Hermione, at Ron's bedside.  Ginny tried to fight off the shock and numbness she had been enduring earlier by contributing to the conspiracy theories about how Ron might have been poisoned with Harry, Fred, and George, but if she stopped talking or thinking for too long, she started to feel as though she had been drenched in ice water.  

One by one, the others all left until it was only Ginny and Hermione by Ron's beside.  The latter looked like she had been crying heavily, probably because she had.  Ginny was simultaneously grateful she hadn't cried and wishing she could have.

Hermione took a shaky breath.  "I-I still can't believe it," she said, voice strained.  "C-can't believe someone would hurt him.  Even if it was by accident.  I'm just s-so worried." Her eyes and cheeks were both red.

"You're not fooling anyone, you know," Ginny told her, figuring now was as good a time as any to be blunt.

Hermione gaped like a fish.  "What do you mean?" She said, feigning ignorance.  She wasn't very good at it.

"You're hopelessly in love with each other, aren't you?" Ginny asked.

The other girl's lips moved but no sound came out, cheeks flaming scarlet.  "I have to go," she said eventually, getting up and fleeing down the hall.

"Great job," Ginny said to herself.  "You've scared her off."

"Hermione," Ron mumbled.

"Oh, shut it, you."

Ginny stayed there for a while.  She didn't know precisely how long; a few days, maybe.  Someone brought her homework, which collected in an enormous pile on a chair next to Ron's bed.  She couldn't bring herself to look at it.  There was an endless stream of people stopping by, all of them talking very fast and very loud.  Ginny gave them the shortest possible answers to their probing questions until they left.

It was on maybe the third day of this when Ginny heard a much-missed voice from the doorway.  "I'm sorry.  Am I interrupting?"

Ginny didn't even need to turn around to see who it was.  "Hi, Luna," she said dully.

She felt a feather-light kiss on her cheek, then Luna's arms reached around her to place a woven flower garland on Ron's head.  "I brought him this.  It should help speed the recovery process, these flowers are known to be roosting places of a rare species of pixie-"

Luna's voice was even higher pitched than normal, and it was beginning to hurt Ginny's head.  "Listen, Luna," she said, cutting the other girl off and hoping her tone wasn't harsh, "I'm really tired."

"Do you want me to take you back to your dorm?" Luna said, smiling.  God, Ginny appreciated her.

"No, no, that's fine," Ginny said, laughing a little.  "I just sort of want to be alone with him for a bit longer."

Something changed in Luna's expression.  "Oh," she said quietly.  "Alright."

She turned and walked away, striding swiftly towards the door.  It swung shut behind her and Ginny slumped in her seat.  Suddenly, sitting next to Ron's inert body seemed like the least appealing thing in the world.  Gathering her books, she headed back to Gryffindor tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a hard chapter to write and I put it off a lot. Sorry about that. Leave me a comment/kudos if you liked it, I love y'all.


	11. What Comes Next

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which time passes and a conversation happens.

Ginny had a lot of homework to catch up on.  The teachers cut her some slack because of the whole poisoning business, but that didn't change the fact that she needed to complete three essays, five diagrams, and one Astronomy chart and she had to stay up until midnight for two days in a row to get all of them done.  Quidditch practices were also getting more and more frequent because of the upcoming game against Hufflepuff, although Luna was curiously absent from the stands.

Ginny was altogether seeing less of Luna than she would have liked.  Whenever they had joint classes Luna always left before Ginny did, and when she tried to walk with her girlfriend in the hallways, Luna would speed up and vanish into the crowd.

Ginny visited Ravenclaw tower once or twice like she had before, but this time no one came to let her in when she knocked and she had no patience for riddles.  "I don't know why a raven is like a writing desk!" She yelled at the entrance in a fit of frustration.  "I just want to see my girlfriend, you bloody door!" 

After that whole debacle, she decided it would be best not to return.  Ginny didn't like the idea of reliving that and she thought that if she waited, Luna would come to her.

She didn't.  In the absence of Luna, Ginny threw herself into Quidditch and schoolwork to keep her mind off it.  If she thought too much about any of that, her brain returned to the only logical conclusion: Luna was avoiding her.  That wasn't a possibility Ginny wanted to entertain, ever.  

So she didn't think, she just worked.  She felt darkness starting to creep in around the edges of her vision, so she stayed up late to prevent what she knew what would happen when she fell asleep.  The only person in Gryffindor tower who stayed awake later than Ginny was Hermione, and sometimes Harry if he couldn't sleep.  Ginny didn't like to pry.  If Harry wanted to talk, he could, but they mostly sat in silence in the Gryffindor common room.

The match against Hufflepuff was one of the most miserable experiences Ginny had ever been required to endure, counting the time when she had been possessed by You-Know-Who for the better part of a year.  By the end of it, she had to actively prevent herself from strangling McLaggen with her bare hands.  The only thing at all bearable about the game had been Luna's commentary, which made her smile several times.  But even that raised more questions about the state of her and Ginny's relationship.   _"And now Ginny's taken the Quaffle.  I do like her, she's very nice . . ."_

What was that supposed to mean? "I do like her, she's very nice" weren't exactly words one used in reference to their significant other, but wouldn't Luna have talked to her if she wanted to end things? Then again, Luna wasn't the best with people or emotions, so maybe this was her attempt at a breakup.  

Ginny pondered this one night in the common room over an essay.  No matter how hard she tried, her thoughts refused to settle and she snapped a quill in frustration.  Someone yelped.  Turning, Ginny saw Neville attempting to mop up the mess from his tipped watering can, hands trembling.

"Sorry about that," she said, hurrying over to help him.  She'd had a soft spot for Neville ever since being his Yule Ball date two years before.  "Mimbulus mimbletonia?"

"Yeah, it's growing," Neville said, smiling.  "I wanted to show it to Luna.  Could you tell her? I don't see her much."

Ginny winced.  "I haven't seen her around either."

"Did something happen between you two?" 

"I'm not sure.  Maybe.  I don't know what I did."

"Talk to her," Neville advised, Vanishing the spilled water and refilling the pot with a muttered "Aguamenti".

"I've tried that!" Ginny said.  "She doesn't stick around long enough for me to say anything."

"Then go someplace where she'll have to listen!" Neville quieted, suddenly unsure.  "I'm sorry.  I'm not the best with romance.  Never really been one for . . . any of that."

Ginny put a light hand on his shoulder.  He was easily startled and she didn't want to overstep her bounds.  "It's alright.  Thank you."

The topic turned to classes, which they made small talk about until they both seemed to realize that it was far too late to be up.  "Night, Neville," Ginny said, departing for the dormitories.  Her brain was too full of thoughts about what to do in the morning to hear his response. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's this. Drop me a kudos/comment if you liked this chapter, they are very much appreciated and I'd love to know your thoughts, if anyone still reads this.


	12. One, Two, Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which conflict is resolved! Finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally going to make this and the previous chapter one chapter, but then it ended up getting way too long, so I split it up.

As it turned out, Ginny couldn't do anything the next day until late afternoon.  She wasn't an early riser, so she didn't wake up early enough to catch Luna before breakfast.  She tried to find her between classes, but the crowds and the time constraints made it impossible.

After her last class, Ginny was swept up by friends, talking about the work they had.  She couldn't extricate herself until they reached the portrait hole, making excuses and fleeing for the other tower.

Bag over her shoulder, she navigated the maze of halls and moving staircases, deeply regretting not leaving her things in the common room.  Running up the tower stairs, she stopped, slightly out of breath, before the door.  She'd forgotten about the riddle.

"Where do Vanished objects go?" The pleasant female voice inquired.

"I dunno," Ginny said.  She gave the door a kick, knowing it wouldn't do anything.

"Where do Vanished objects go?" The door asked again.

Ginny threw up her hands.  She had to think.  She wasn't giving up this easily.  "Someplace other than where they were Vanished from, I guess."

There was a soft chime.  "Technically correct." The door swung open and Ginny stepped into the common room.

It was just as she remembered.  Sky blue ceiling, starry carpet, rows of bookshelves, a sense of tranquility.  The room was full of Ravenclaws and several of them greeted her as she made her way through the room.  They had gotten used to her since she started dating Luna, but Ginny didn't have time for them today.

Her eyes swept over the crowd, but the familiar blonde head was nowhere in sight.  Had she come all this way for nothing? No, there was still a place where Luna might be.  

Climbing through the window, Ginny spotted Luna seated on the balcony, facing away from her.  Schoolbooks were fanned out in a neat line by her shoes, other possessions stacked on top of them.  As she got closer, she saw a palette clutched in one of Luna's pale hands, a paintbrush in the other.  A cup of water sat beside her, and a half-finished canvas hovered in the air.

Ginny's jaw dropped.  The painting in progress depicted a beautiful silver horse mid-gallop surrounded by swirls of pink, blue, and green.  It was shockingly detailed, its eyes sparkling in a way that made it seem almost alive.

She wasn't aware of making a noise, but she must have because Luna whirled, the paints and painting crashing to the ground.  "Ginny!" She said, eyes wide and staring.  "What are you doing here?"

Ginny frowned.  Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea.  "I came to see you," she said.  "I wanted to talk."

"You wanted to talk to me?" Luna's face lit up, then shifted back to her usual expression.  "I thought you wanted me to leave you alone."

Ginny frowned.  "I never said that.  When would I have . . ." Suddenly it hit her.  "You mean when Ron was in the hospital wing? I just meant while I was in there with him! I had a lot of people coming to talk to me and I was tired of it, that's all.  That wasn't obvious?"

Luna stared at her shoes.  "No.  I'm sorry.  I assumed you didn't want to see me for a while."

"Why would you think that?" Ginny hesitated, then reached out and took her hand.  "I guess I should have been clearer."

"No it's my fault," Luna said.  "I'm sorry.  I suppose I just got it wrong."

"You have absolutely no reason to be sorry!" Ginny pulled her into a tight hug, feeling Luna's breaths.  "I'm really glad you stopped by for Ron and I.  It was good of you, just not the right time."

"I wanted to help."

"You're wonderful, Luna.  And you paint! I didn't know you painted."

"I never told you.  But I like painting.  I paint things on my ceiling all the time.  It's like talking to someone, but paintings don't make fun of you."

"Well, you're amazing at it." Ginny felt compelled to say something.  "I sing, sometimes."

"You do?" Luna looked up at her, then quickly looked away.  "Can you sing something?"

"I guess." Ginny cleared her throat and launched into the first thing that came to mind.  It was a Celestina Warbeck tune, one of her mother's favorites.  She couldn't hit some of the high notes, but Luna didn't seem to care, swaying to the rhythm with her eyes closed.

Luna opened her eyes when the song was done.  "That was nice," she said.  "What do we do now?"

"Now?" Ginny asked.  "Um, now we dance."

"Dance? I've never danced.  Well, maybe a long time ago, but that doesn't really matter-oh!"

Ginny took her hands, pulling her into a shuffling waltz that she might have remembered from third year.  There was no beat, no melody but for Luna's humming (her eyes were closed again), leaning a little too close.  "One, two, three, one, two, three," Ginny muttered, trying to keep time.  They twirled around the balcony, careful to avoid the paints.

They broke apart, both smiling.  "I'm glad you still want to see me," Luna said.

"I could never not want to see you," Ginny replied.  She kissed Luna on the cheek. 

"Ginny, I like you a lot.  You're better than a painting."

"High praise.  I'll try to deserve it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Props to anyone who caught my references. As always, let me know what you thought of the chapter, your comments give me life.


	13. Nightmares and Daydreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there are things that probably wouldn't be plausible in canon, but who cares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy heck, guys, I'm so sorry for not posting for so long. I've been on vacation and the WiFi SUCKED. Here's this, sorry if it's rushed. Enjoy!

After dancing on the balcony of Ravenclaw tower, Ginny and Luna spent most of the little free time they had together.  Sometimes they would talk and sometimes they would just sit there and look over the grounds in silence.  Luna would always sit a bit too close or too far away.  Occasionally she'd bring her paints and Ginny would watch her work, oblivious to the world around her.  Ginny wished she could do the same.

Hermione received the newspaper every morning and Ginny would read with her, trying to snatch whatever information she could (Hermione read much faster than she did).  People were captured, killed, or simply vanished each day, but none of them were able to help.

The only thing Ginny could do was discuss things with Luna while they did homework together.  Luna, who was one of those people who always seems to know what is right and will always do it.  Luna, who would either talk passionately about the subject at hand or do something to distract them from it entirely.  Luna, who Ginny (and everyone else) really needed to spend more time appreciating the existence of.

One night, after a particularly strenuous day of classes and bad news, Ginny awoke from her nightmare, breathing heavily and in a cold sweat.  It took her a few moments to remember where she was: the comfortable bed in her dormitory, not the freezing, wet floor underneath the statue of Salazar Slytherin.  She could almost feel the ink dripping onto her skin from the pages of her diary.  The blood pounding in her ears sounded like cold laughter.

Sliding out of bed, she padded to the window and stared out, opening it and trying hard to breathe normally.  She had been having that dream since her second year, but it never failed to terrify her.  The night air helped some, clearing her head, but she still felt on edge, heart beating much faster than it should.

Her eyes focused on something in the distance.  It was Luna, sitting on her tower balcony.  Somehow, just seeing her made Ginny feel better.  She seemed to exude a sort of calming air.  Calm was just the thing Ginny needed right now.  Rubbing her bracelet and lighting her wand, she scribbled  _Can I come over?_ on a spare bit of parchment and with a swish and flick, sent it sailing to the other tower.  The note returned with _I could use a person_ written on the back.  That sounded a lot like a yes.

Luna jumped when Ginny sat next to her.  "How did you get here?"

"I climbed."

"That's very dangerous, Ginny," Luna said.  "Neither of us want you to die."

Ginny was momentarily startled, then shrugged.  "I'm a dangerous girl."

"I can believe that," Luna said seriously.

It was quiet for a few seconds.  The night air wasn't cold, but Ginny still shivered.  Luna broke the silence.  "Ginny . . . is there a reason you're here?"

Ginny blinked.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Luna said, looking away.  "I shouldn't.  I'm glad you're here." 

"No, it's fine," Ginny said with a nervous laugh.  "I don't know why.  I just . . . couldn't be alone."

"You weren't alone," Luna pointed out.  "You have bunk mates."

"You know what I mean."

Another silence.  "Can I do anything to help?"

"Nothing, I guess.  No, actually, there is something.  Talk to me."

"About what?"

"Anything."

"Are you sure?" Luna glanced at her, then looked away again.

"Yeah."  _I like hearing your voice,_ she almost said, but didn't.

Clearing her throat softly, Luna began.  Her voice was quiet at first, tentative, but grew stronger as she went on.  It wasn't rambling, exactly, just one train of thought flowing smoothly into another in one unbroken line.  Ginny stopped really listening after a while, just absentmindedly rubbing her bracelet as the tone and cadences of Luna's speech rolled over her.

"Are you alright?" The question pierced the fog.  Luna was looking in her direction, eyes wide.  "You aren't moving.  Or saying anything."

"I'm fine.  Just thinking." Ginny exhaled.

"Oh.  About what?"

"How lucky I am to have you."

She came back the next night.  And the next.  Whenever she left, she couldn't hear Tom Riddle's laughter anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please forgive me for being away enough to give me kudos (if you haven't already) and comments (which you can never have too many of)! You're too kind.


	14. Beginning of the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we catch up with our canon timeline again! Yay!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I again had to rely heavily on book 6 for this one. My posting schedule is so sporadic it's painful. Enjoy!

For a short while, getting the upper hand in a battle she'd been fighting for years seemed to have solved all Ginny's problems.  She still stayed up late, but she didn't dread falling asleep.  OWL preparation was going well, which meant she and Luna could still spend time together.  Their Quidditch team was back in order with the return of Katie Bell, and even the flood of dark things happening outside of school seemed to have temporarily abated.

Naturally, it was at this time that disaster struck.  "What the hell do you mean, you can't play against Ravenclaw?"

Harry stood before her, not meeting her eyes.  They were inside the Gryffindor common room and he had just finished informing her, Ron, and Hermione what had happened.  This was probably the third most angry Ginny Weasley had ever been in her life.

"I just told you, I got detention for-"

"For using an illegal curse on Malfoy!" Ginny nearly screamed.  "I can't believe you did that, Harry, you could've killed him!" It made her sick to hear him defending that book, a book that saved Ron but now was responsible for this mess. 

"I wish I hadn't done it, you know I do, Ginny," Harry was saying.  "And I'm sorry about the match."

"This isn't about the match!" Ginny said with an impatient wave of the hand.  "This is about how you almost murdered someone!"

"I thought you hated Malfoy! Besides, he was trying to use an Unforgivable Curse on Harry," Ron interrupted.

"I do hate Malfoy," Ginny said.   _Then why do you hate that he's injured?_ A little voice in her head inquired.

She found that she didn't know the answer.  Maybe she cared because she never expected it from Harry.  Maybe she didn't like the idea of Malfoy being truly hurt.  Or maybe she didn't want to see anyone else killed, regardless of who it was.

Well.  That was new.  She wondered where it had come from.  A year ago, she wouldn't have given Malfoy's injuries a second thought, but now . . . 

She shook off this train of thought.  She wasn't going to follow it to its conclusion.  "Are you going to tell the others, or should I do it so they don't try to mutiny?" Ginny asked, stalking off before Harry could answer.

After the last class of the day, thoughts and emotions still bouncing around like Ping-Pong balls, Ginny headed off to Luna's balcony to sort things out.  She needed her girlfriend's clear head.

"I don't think Harry should have done that, either," Luna said when Ginny had finished telling her what had happened.  It had been a long and rambling explanation, and most of it probably hadn't made sense, but Luna seemed to have understood nonetheless.  "It wasn't good for him and it wasn't good for Malfoy either.  I thought there was something off about him today, but it looked like a Wrackspurt had got him, so I didn't ask . . ." She trailed off, staring at something in the distance, then turned back abruptly.  "Do you know if he's okay?"

"I'm not sure," Ginny admitted.  "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, he's not very nice, I suppose, but no one deserves to have that happen to them," Luna said.  "I don't like it when living things are hurt.  It's not right for anyone to be in pain." She gripped Ginny's wrist, as if she needed to make sure the other girl was still there.

Ginny pondered that.  Slowly, she squeezed Luna's hand back.  "Isn't that the truth."

Luna blinked at her.  "I think it is.  Will you sing me something?"

The request was unexpected, but not unwelcome.  "Sure." Luna put her head on Ginny's shoulder as she began.

That night, the bad dreams returned.  This time, there was a fair bit of high-pitched shrieking involved, as well as sticky, dark red blood that seemed to cling to her as she jolted awake.  Luna wasn't outside, and Ginny didn't want to bother her.  She went back to bed, her thoughts shifting uneasily and refusing to settle down.

The game conditions were excellent the next morning, though the team was dispirited from the loss of Harry.  Even Ginny couldn't muster a decent pep talk, just resolving to play better than she ever had before (how she would do that, she didn't know, but the sight of Luna in a Gryffindor scarf sent a tingle of warmth through her body).

She played against Cho Chang, who looked relieved not to be facing Harry, but somewhat subdued and distracted.  None of the other players seemed to be at their best, in fact, and several people almost fell off their brooms.

In the end it was a Gryffindor victory, but Ginny didn't feel like celebrating.  Instead she left the after party early to lie down and stare at the ceiling of her dormitory.  "I think you're starting to rub off on me," she told Luna the next day.

"How's that? What did I do?"

"Nothing," Ginny said.   _Everything,_ Ginny thought.  Paused.  She knew what she wanted to do, but how to go about it . . . "Say, Luna, Hermione and I were thinking about going to one of the bookstores down in Hogsmeade this weekend and I know you liked that recent publication by Rolf Scamander.  Do you want to come?"

"I wouldn't want to impose on you two," Luna began, but Ginny waved this away impatiently.

"You wouldn't be imposing, we were looking for someone else to invite along anyway.  It's only a matter of if you're comfortable with it."

"Hermione doesn't like me much."

"Hermione's fine with you, she just gets a little stubborn about her facts," Ginny said.  "It's alright if you don't want to come, though."

"No, no, I'll come," Luna said.  She smiled.  "Thank you for inviting me."

Ginny shrugged.  "We should all hang out more anyway.  I like you and I like her.  That's all there is to it."

"I didn't think of it like that."

Leaning closer, Ginny kissed Luna's forehead.  "That's okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, give me kudos/comments if you liked it, I desperately need approval from other humans. Or leave me a comment if you didn't like it, whatever works.


	15. The Penultimate Peril

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is Battle of the Astronomy Tower stuff because everyone needs that! (Or at least I do.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been a long time coming, I am so sorry that my writing process is this faulty. I look at other people who update, like, weekly, and I'm like "uhh that ain't happening". Feel free to ignore my ramblings. Enjoy!

The trip to Hogsmeade went well, in Ginny's opinion.  Hermione did most of the talking and Luna was much quieter than when she and Ginny were alone together, but they were amiable with each other and everyone found what they were looking for.  All in all, it was a rousing success.

OWL testing, however, was a complete nightmare.  At least three people broke down in tears and Ginny knew she'd made several serious mistakes, especially on the written exam.  Harry's instruction from the previous year floated around in her head during the Defense Against the Dark Arts portion, which helped a lot, even if it was also annoying.  When it was over, Ginny felt like collapsing into a heap and jumping for joy at the same time.  She settled for a compromise of going back to the Gryffindor common room and collapsing in one of the giant armchairs by the fire, which was more comfortable.

It was a good time to relax.  Which meant that, in keeping with the theme of recent events, it was also a good time for Harry to burst in with a dramatic pronouncement.

 "Ron! Hermione!" Harry shouted.  "Come quick, Dumbledore thinks I'm getting my invisibility cloak-" He noticed Ginny, who sat forward a little.  "Oh.  Hi, Ginny." He edged away from her a little as she said it.  Perhaps it was the screaming incident that had put him off her.

"What do you need us for?" Ginny asked.  The other two gathered around as Harry started talking fast and low about Snape, Horcruxes, You-Know-Who, and Felix Felicis.

"Share this with everyone," Harry said, tossing Ron the little golden bottle and thrusting the Marauders' Map into his hands.  "And watch Snape!" With that, he disappeared back through the portrait hole.

Ron was in his element.  "Right," he began.  "Hermione, get word to the Order; there're still guards here  Ginny, go find Luna.  We'll use the map to track Malfoy and Snape, try to keep them from doing . . . whatever it is they might be doing."

Ginny was glad to obey.  She ran for Ravenclaw tower, attracting some very odd looks, which she ignored.  When she knocked on the tower door, Luna was there to let her in.  Ginny started to speak, but the other girl cut her off.

"Something's wrong, isn't it?" Luna said.  She was frowning, brow furrowed, a rare look on her.  "I can feel it."

"Yes, something's wrong," Ginny said.  "No, that's not right.  Everything's wrong and we need you, Luna."

"How can everything be-" Luna stopped mid sentence.  "Oh.  Sorry.  I did it again.  Is Harry gone?"

Ginny explained in a rush, words tumbling out of her mouth and running into one another as she spoke.

"Well, let's go then," Luna said when she'd finished.  "I expect they're waiting for us." She strode out the door and didn't look back, leaving Ginny to hurry after her.

They reached the Gryffindor common room just in time to catch Ron briefing Neville on the situation.  "Ginny! You're back!" Hermione said.  "Hello, Luna.  Glad you're here too, we could use the help."

"Of course you could," Luna said.  "From what Ginny told me, we're all in a lot of danger right now.  We've got a high chance of dying, that is."

Ron blinked at her, looking a bit bemused.  "Right.  Anyway.  Me, Ginny, and Neville will go stake out the Room of Requirement so Malfoy can't do anything . . . bad.  And, Luna, I was thinking you and Hermione could keep an eye on Snape."

Ginny wanted to object.  The thought of having Luna out of her sight, especially at a time like this, made her heart race and her arms break out in gooseflesh.  As she opened her mouth, cold, pale fingers gripped her wrist. 

"I'll be okay," Luna said, big eyes solemn.  "Worry about yourself."

They split up.  The three of them stood outside the Room of Requirement, but suddenly Malfoy had slipped past them and everything was darkness.  Ginny screamed magic words, tried all the spells for light she knew, but the blackness was absolute.  Groping around in the dark, she stumbled down a hallway and ran right into Remus Lupin.

"What's going on?" He demanded, face white with panic.

Her explanation was even more jumbled and nonsensical than the one she'd given Luna, but Lupin did an admirable job of deciphering it.  Ron and Neville had found their way out, both rushing the older man and adding details of their own.

"Then we haven't a moment to lose," the former professor said when they'd finished.  "Come on!"

The Death Eaters found them minutes later.  Ginny fired off curses and dodged the ones aimed at her, somehow going toe-to-toe with grown wizards and witches.  It was the Felix Felicis, she knew it, and silently thanked Harry for thinking ahead.  The dark wizards scattered and the others gave chase, voices shouting and spells going off every which way.

Her thoughts then went back to Luna, Luna, Luna, as they chased Death Eaters down the corridors to the Astronomy Tower.   _where is she is she safe is she dead is she fighting_ ran nonstop through her brain, bouncing around inside her head.  Snape was there and then he wasn't and a jinx flew at her and she lost all sense of everything.  There was screaming and blood and darkness.  She stepped over a body.

Harry was there too now, the Death Eaters were on the run.  She had to explain it all in the hospital wing, the others chiming in occasionally.  Ron and Hermione held hands.  Luna sat in a corner, rocking back and forth with her hands over her ears and eyes unfocused.  Ginny wanted to say something, wanted to help, but as she went over to her girlfriend's chair, she blinked and the bowed blonde head was gone.  Both sleep and Luna evaded her for several nights to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave kudos and comments, if you're still reading, I love them and I love you guys. Thanks!


	16. After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the end times are near. Actually, they're here.

The day of Dumbledore's funeral was the most beautiful one Hogwarts had seen in the past few months (which was saying something).  It wasn't fair.  Nothing should be beautiful when Dumbledore was dead.  Ginny hadn't even known the old man that well, but he had been a comforting presence, had kept them secure in the knowledge that everyone in Hogwarts was safe.  Now, no one was.  

Ginny didn't listen to whoever gave the speech.  It might as well have been in Gobbledegook for all she could understand.  She mostly watched the audience instead.  Hermione was crying and holding Ron's hand.  They'd been doing a lot of hand-holding lately, even though both swore they weren't a couple.  Harry sat next to her.  He wasn't crying or holding anyone's hand; in fact, it looked like he was trying to stop himself from laughing.  This had the bizarre effect of making Ginny smile.  He smiled back.  She had a feeling Dumbledore would have liked that.

When the service was over, Ginny left straight away.  The idea of talking to any of these people longer than she had to made her feel sick, and she said as much to the others.  Instead she went back to Gryffindor tower.  Packing was impossible.  Her thoughts were everywhere at once, refusing to settle down, and trying to fit her life at Hogwarts into a suitcase was a task far too overwhelming for her current state of mind.

Instead, she went to the window and stared at the other tower.  A familiar figure sat on the balcony, blonde hair flowing in the breeze.  If anyone could calm Ginny down, it would be Luna, though she had no idea if the Ravenclaw girl would even want to see her.  Luna hadn't been seeing much of anyone lately.  Walking back to her desk, Ginny put pen to paper, sent the parchment floating through the air, and waited.

The response floated back one long minute later.   _Come over.  Be quiet._ Ginny didn't need to be told twice.

Luna sat on the balcony, hunched over a canvas.  It was the painting of the silver horse Ginny had seen all those months before, and it was almost finished.  She had to marvel at Luna's abilities.  The picture was breathtaking.

The other girl didn't acknowledge Ginny's presence for several minutes.  Instead, she kept working, rocking back and forth ever so slightly as she stroked in more details.  There were dark circles under her eyes and she looked even paler than usual.  Ginny wondered if she'd been taking care of herself at all.

At last, Luna picked up the painting and presented it to Ginny.  "This is for you," she said.  "It's a present."

"Thank you," Ginny said.  She gingerly lifted it out of Luna's hands, trying not to get wet paint on her fingers.  "It's beautiful."

Luna shrugged.  "I thought it was only right you should have it.  You know, because it's your patronus."

Looking closer, Ginny realized that indeed it was.  "Wow.  How'd you remember what it looked like?"

"It stuck." Luna offered no further explanation.  There was a pause. 

Ginny searched for something to say.  "Are you alright?" Awful.  Terrible.  She shouldn't be allowed to speak.

Luna stared at her.  "I don't think anyone's alright.  Hogwarts isn't.  Not without Dumbledore.  Everything feels wrong."

She was right, as usual.  Ginny went to touch her hand, but she moved at exactly the wrong moment.  "What do you think will happen next year?"

"They'll appoint someone else, like McGonagall.  We'll go back to school.  The Ministry won't do anything, or they can't do anything." There were tears slowly tracing their way down Luna's face, but she didn't seem aware of them.  Her expression was unfocused and vague.  "I suppose we can fight, but not very many people will."

Luna looked like a glass sculpture, only one misstep from falling to pieces.  It was terrifying.  Luna was one of the strongest people Ginny knew.  Seeing her like this was completely alien. 

"Hey." Ginny moved her hand again, and this time Luna didn't pull away.  Her fingers were cold and stiff and she didn't acknowledge the touch.  "It'll be okay.  Or, not okay, but we're not finished yet.  There's always something we can do."

"What? DA again? I'm sure there are still people who'd help."

"Exactly." Ginny smiled.  She hadn't been doing that a lot lately.  "We can do this.  We'll be ready for whatever happens next year." She slowly squeezed Luna's hand.  Waited  _one, two, three . . ._ and got a squeeze back.  "That reminds me-Bill and Fleur are getting married this summer.  Are you going to the wedding?"

A small smile appeared on her girlfriend's face.  "I'd love to."

"Good.  That's good."

Whatever happened when they went back to Hogwarts, Ginny knew she could face the dangers.  They could do it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this fic is officially finished. We pulled through, you guys. The encouragement helped a lot. Thank you so much for everything I'm probably not what you want, but you are what I need. It's never too late to leave kudos and comments, I cherish every one. Y'all are great.  
> 


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